Book Review of "Deliverance Lost" - The Horus Heresy is heating up

I'm a big fan of the Warhammer 40k universe and I've read a ton of Warhammer 40k books. The "Horus Heresy" series, which actually takes place in the 31st rather than the 41st millennium, is probably my 40k book series, because it tells the tale of how the 40k universe ended up as the dystopian nightmare that it is, ruled by fanatical priests and bureaucrats, lorded over by a entombed God-Emperor.

The series is not all high points, but I was very happy with the last installment "The Outcast Dead" and I therefore had high hopes that the next book could continue on this high level.
Many of the later Horus Heresy books have concerned themselves too much with telling various side stories that don't really focus a lot on Horus or the Emperor, and which don't really move the main plot forwards. So for Deliverance Lost, which focuses on the tale of the Raven Guard and their struggle for survival after Horus' attempt to massacre the whole legion, I was hoping for a book full of primarchs and maybe even some more insight into the mind of the Emperor himself.

I'm happy to say that Deliverance Lost manages to deliver pretty well to all of my expectations. It's not quite up there with the best of the books in the series, but it's definitely a worthwhile addition and contains plenty of heretical goodness that makes it a great read for any Warhammer 40k fan.

As I mentioned, Deliverance Lost tells the tale of the Raven Guard legion of Space Marines.
The Raven Guard were among the legions that were ambushed at Istvaan V, when several loyal Space Marine legions came under attack from Horus and his allies, some of which were masquerading as still being loyal to the Emperor.
We join the Raven Guard primarch, Corvus Corax, as he makes his desperate escape from the planet of Istvaan together with the tattered remains of his legion, and heads for Terra to seek help from the Emperor himself. 

The next Horus Heresy book, "Deliverance Lost" is up for preorder

I was just browsing around over at The Black Library and I noticed that the next book in the Horus Heresy is now available for preorder.

"Deliverance Lost" is the title and it seems like this book will move the main story of the Horus Heresy meaningfully forward. The book will tell the tale of Corax, Primarch of the Raven Guard, as he returns to Terra after escaping the massacre on Isstvan V. But among the returning Raven Guards is a member of the Alpha Legion, who has infiltrated the broken legion and is hoping to learn the secrets of the defense of Terra. Secrets that Horus the Warmaster could use to devastating effect in his imminent full out attack on the capital of the Imperium.

He's got a giant skull strapped across his crotch, so you know he means business

The last Horus Heresy book, "The Outcast Dead", which I have previously reviewed here on the site, was a very enjoyable book, so I hope that Deliverance Lost will continue on the high note set by this previous entry in the series.
I'm also really excited about finally seeing the main story move forward instead of more books detailing various events that all took place at the beginning of Horus' treachery.

There's also a small excerpt from the book available for your immediate consumption, which I think looks fairly promising. The release date is currently stated as being January 2012, so look forward to this heretical piece of 41st millennium goodness quite soon.



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